Improvement in compositions for artificial stone



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIQE.

IMPROVEMENT IN COMPOSITIONS FOR ARTIFICIAL STONE- Specification formingpart of Letters Patent No. 169,218, dated October 26, 1875; applicationfiled August 6,1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. VVHITTE- MORE, of Chelsea, in the countyof Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new Compositionfor Building Purposes; and

I hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the same.

My present invention consists in a fire-proof building material, formedof alum, lime, gypsum, coke, and cement.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my invention,1 will proceed to describe the manner in which 1 have carried it out.

1 take twenty (20) pounds of ordinary lime and slake it in a sufficientquantity of am reduce it to the consistency of paste. en add theretotwenty (20) pounds of oke broken into small pieces, and stir themtogetlier until they are thoroughlyincorporated. 1 next dissolve, inanother receptacle, twenty (20) pounds of alum in a sufiicient quantityof water to produce a saturated solution, and mix it with the lime andcoke above described; after which I add twenty (20) pounds of sul mateof lime or gvpsam, and twenty (20) poun'fls oi EfiEFiuEal;

and stir the whole mass unti a 0 ll] vll the ingredients are thoroughlymixed together, when it is immediately run into molds of any describedshape, to form blocks and other articles used for building purposes,such as caps and sills, chimney-flues, posts, floors, &c., instead ofwooden or iron articles of this description, as heretofore. The alum isemployed on account of its fire-repellent quality and the tenacity withwhich it holds the particles together, while the gypsum is an excellentnon-conductor of heat. The lime readily combines with or has an aifinityfor the alum,

and improves the cohesion, while the coke adds to the bulk withoutmaterially increasing the weight of the composition; but coalashes orsawdust may be used to good advantage as substitutes therefor. Thecement is used to render the composition water-proof; but when it is tobe employed in situations not exposed to the weather-for instance, forpartitions, floors, or ceilingsthe cement may be omittefl whichmilhmtlletrm'fidfuiififirea'iif'aware that plaster, coke, coal-ashes, sawdust,and lime have been used to form material for building; but suchcomposition is objectionable, for the reason that it crumbles whensubjected to heat or water. This objection is, however, removed whenalum forms one of the ingredients.

The proportions of the ingredients may be varied without departing fromthe spirit of my invention; but the quantities of either the alum orgypsum should not exceed that of the lime.

The above -deseribed composition, in its plastic state, may be spreadwith a trowel or otherwise on a floor, lathed or other surface, torender them either fire or water proof.

Vihat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

A composition for building purposes, 820., formed of alum, lime, gypsum,coke, and cement, substantially as described.

Witness my hand this 3d day of August,

WILLIAM H. WHITTEMORE.

In presence of N. W. STEARNS, P. E. TESCHEMAOHER.

